Interior coaches preach social, mental health benefits of sports as school board green lights fall activities

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Coaches from around the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District react to the school board’s decision to follow through with fall sports.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) –

On Monday, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District voted 6-1 in favor of following through with fall sports, while adhering to the Alaska School Activities Association’s guidelines.

Practices and early stages of schedule development have begun, as the first competition is able to take place after August 20.

In the school board meeting Monday, ASAA Executive Director Billy Strickland emphasized the importance of the mental and social benefits that come with participating in sports, reiterated by Hutchison High School Volleyball Coach David Halbrooks.

“For years and years, it was always talked about; the benefits of playing extracurricular activities and doing those sports and how great it kept the student-athletes centered and usually kept them on the right path,” said Halbrooks over the phone Wednesday. “There is another adult in their life, being the coach, that helps to keep them centered and focused on grades, which are the most important. If it is that important and we have always preached that, how can we get to ‘yes’, what can we do to make it as safe as it can be and ensure the safety of all the kids at all times?”

With many uncertainties, one thing is for sure; this season will not operate as in years past. There will be changes to practices and games, as well as the overlooked aspects, like providing meals for the players, as Lathrop Football has done prior.

“Everything is different, from playing games to trying to get food into the bodies of kids,” said Malemutes head coach Luke Balash. “We normally have a snack table and feed everybody with food from the food bank, because a pretty good portion of our team is short on food all the time. We actually just finally got that figured out yesterday and got meal bags to send home to kids and help feed them more. We saw them start to break down, you know, from not having enough nutrients.”

“[Sports] really is a natural stress reliever and anxiety reducer, not to mention the social and emotional development of kids being together, there is just so much value in it,” added Balash.

West Valley High School’s cross country program is off and running, and head coach Hannibal Grubis used a personal example to back the idea that organized sports are beneficial for kids.

“In our family, our daughter is also a runner on the team and she has probably handled this whole Covid thing the best,” said Grubis. “She is training as an athlete and she is able to see other runners while social distancing, so she has had positive social interaction and a structure, probably more than anybody else in our family. I see it as a real positive for the kids that are coming on a regular basis because they’re having, which is human important thing, having some interaction.”

Schools within the district are taking advantage of the opportunity provided, as two football scrimmages are scheduled for Friday, while the first cross country meet could come as soon as next Saturday.

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